Chapter 16:
Shifu’s discovery

In the start of the new day the turtles returned to their quarters to rest, all but Raphael who was waking up from his forced nap. “I don’t know if I should kill her or comfort her.” He muttered out of anger - cursing himself of getting the drop on him so easily. The best way to deal with his anger was with a punching bag, and he knew where one was.

‘What should I do?’ Shifu thought as he had slept at the Peach Tree all night, and was welcomed to the sight of the rising sun. He stared at it for a moment - wanting it to give him a hint on how to encourage the fourth, and it was then he heard yelling of sorts. Curious he went to the training ground, and only saw the red one beating up on the practice dummy.

“Stinkin, gettin the drop on me, cat. The next I see her…” He muttered while pounding the punching bag with all he had. Shifu did not see the source in there so me moved on. The teacher looked into the quarters and saw the blue one meditating and the purple one creating something.

“These ought to help Crane with his kanji writing.” The brainy one said as he was creating colored paint for the bird’s work of art. Seeing this the teacher decided to try a different room and it was then he heard that karate noise again. The red panda was beside the kitchen and watched as the youngest of the group punched through cabinet doors.

“I knew I smelled a dessert the last time I was in here.” The slacker shouted before looking down and saw his latest master looking right at him. ‘Oh man, I’m dead for real this time.’ Michelangelo thought as he saw Shifu gazed around the room.

‘He said that he was a goofball…but these punch holes are right where the handles once stood. He still needed to make sure if what he saw was real, but before that could happen he listened to the ninja’s comment.

“What? I eat when I’m upset, okay?” The turtle said to him since he was getting a little nervous with all the staring. It was then he knew what to do after casting a glance at one lone container.

“Oh, no need to explain. I just thought you might be Monkey. He hides his almond cookies on the top shelf.” Shifu informed before walking away, or at least appeared to for as soon as he past the doorway the teacher leaned against the wall and listened.

“Score!” The glutton shouted before covering his mouth with both hands. The ninja scanned the doorway, and when he saw no one he wet to get the cookies. The elder heard the clatter, and when the clatter stopped he walked in.
‘He truly is a powerful warrior.’ Shifu thought as he watched the green skinned teen chop down on seven cookies before realizing that he had an audience.

“Don’t tell Monkey.” Michelangelo said to his master since he did not wish to lose the simian’s friendship. The man on the ground heard him, but decided to stick with the task at hand.

“Look at you.” The elder said to the slacker in pure awe. The young one, who had heard it all, decided to stop him right there.

“Yeah, I know. I disgust you.” The one in orange said with a sigh of defeat - still believing that this teacher did not like him. The elder heard the sigh and decided to set the record straight.

“No, I mean, how did you get up there? I mean you did say that you were a goofball, and there is no way a goofball could perform a perfect split and be 10 feet off the ground.” The red panda said to the teen in a calm…almost sly tone.

“Don’t be like that Shifu, this was…just…an…accident.” The turtle said before his left heel slipped from the shelf it was on causing him to crash to the ground. The teacher picked up and looked at the cookie the snacker dropped.

“There are no accidents.” He said as he used a line his master was famous of using. “There is a new training exercise I would like to test - come with me.” Shifu added before calmly walking away. Not wanting to disappoint, he did so, and even carried a travel pack that he tossed to the teen.

“I know your trying to be all mystical and kung fuey…” The New Yorker started to say as the two of them had walked far beyond the valley of peace and were currently on a mountain. “…but could you at least tell me where we’re going?” He said after catching his breath.

‘Just a little further.’ Shifu thought since they were close to their destination. When they arrived at the top of the mountain he sat on a flat rock that was positioned before a lake. His pack mule was stumbling to a stop behind him.

“You dragged me…all the way out here…for a bath?” The teen questioned before splashing some water on his arms and underarms. The panda heard this and decided to set the record straight.

“Turtle…” He said to get the man’s attention before continuing with, “…we do not wash our pits in the Pool of Sacred Tears.” That got the fan’s attention since he knew of such a place.

“The Pool of…” The orange one started to say, but was cut off by the smaller creature.

“This is where Oogway unraveled the mysteries of harmony and focus. This is the birthplace of kung fu.” Shifu said and blew the fan away.

‘I was first at the lap of the gods - possibly the birthplace of Ninjitsu, and now the Pool of Sacred Tears - the birthplace of kung fu.’ The slacker thought before the panda leap onto a tall rock did a few moves and looked down at his student.

“Do you want to learn kung fu?” The long tailed man asked the reptile beneath him.

“Yeah.” The eager student answered back to him.

“Then I am your master!” The small teacher shouted back down - cementing that he was winning to teach this man. The warrior was so moved by the proposal that all he could do was nod. “Don’t cry.” The teacher instructed.

“Okay.” The chucker said with a nod and rubbed something free from his eye. After that the two of them went to a different spot on the mountain where Shifu asked for his nunchucks which he gave willingly.

“When you focus on kung fu, when you concentrate…you stink.” Shifu said after gently placing the weapons beside him. The comment did not register because he was already used to comments like that. “But perhaps that is my fault. I cannot train you the same way as I have trained the Five, or how I could train your brothers. I now see that the way to get through to you…is with this.” He went on and finished with revealing a bowl of dumplings.

“Oh, great. Cause I am starving.” The teen walked over and was about to snatch the food, but his master moved it away from reach.

“Good. When you have been trained, you may eat.” The elder said before eating one dumpling. “Let us begin.” He said while chewing. The first task that they did was to find a decently flimsy branch over a cliff with Shifu standing on the branch and the turtle doing hanging crunches.

“Yes!” the hero shouted after the limb broke causing the ninja to catch the bowl, but had to add, “Aw, come on.” Due to the limb snapping the rest of the way making the turtle fall and his master, who landed on a jutted out rock grabbed the object and it’s contents with little effort.

‘Let’s see if he’s ready for this.’ The panda thought after they changed grounds to the outside of a bamboo forest. The first thing that he did was give the glutton a bowl of food - which he took. As soon as the hero tossed the chopsticks away the teacher struck him four times and then went after the porcelain object in his hand.

‘Oh a protection exercise…right.’ Mikey thought as he realized the objective only after his dish was shattered. ‘I got this.’ The party animal thought since it was a traditional pebble bit, but instead of a pebble it was a dumpling.

‘He’s good, but I’m better.’ Shifu thought as he was able to keep the food item out of reach for more than twenty tries. As darkness set in the two made a low fire. “This will be your test - sit-ups to this noodle soup: without touching the fire. For the sake of food and training he did just that until the morning.

‘This’ll work on my balance.’ Michelangelo thought as the two of them were now on a different flat mountain top with hot soup bowls on both elbows and the top of his. Objective - don’t spill a drop.

‘So, he wants free food, does he.’ The teacher thought as he saw the young ninja trying to be sneaky and get to the still active cauldron of soup. Before he could try anything Shifu swatted him on the butt. The bamboo staff was blocked three times with foot and fist. The hero tried a kick, but his target slide under it. The panda saw his moment when the turtle grabbed some soup, so he countered with a poke to the chest and a quick grab.

“Make fun of me will you.” The BN Champion said before ticking the base of the staff to knock his master off his perch, but he only ended up hitting himself on the head. Once Shifu ate the two kung fu stretched on two different rock stands, swapping one finger/one are pull ups, staff deflection, and orange finished his day with a solo kung fu moves. When the next morning set in the New Yorker saw a bowl of dumplings and a pair of chopsticks just sitting on a rock.

Copy Rights:
TMNT, and the others, are owned by Eastman/Laird and Fox Box.
Kung Fu Panda, and the others, are owned by Dreamworks.